BAPTIST  MISSSONS 

I N 

CHINA 

By  rev.  EDMUND  F.  MERRI.'\M 


BOSTON 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  MISSIONARY  UNION 
1894 


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BAPTIST  MISSIONS  IN  CHINA. 


COUNTRY  AND  PEOPLE. 

The  immense  country  included  within  the  Chinese  empire 
comprises  about  one  third  of  the  habitable  part  of  the  globe. 
In  population  it  is  the  largest  empire  which  the  world  ever 
knew.  The  name  China  is  not  used  by  the  people  for  their 
own  country.  One  of  the  names  they  give  it  denotes  “ the 
world,”  another  means  “ The  Middle  Kingdom,”  as  the 
Chinese  believe  that  their  country  is  the  centre  of  the  earth, 
and  all  other  nations  are  less  important  territories  on  the  out- 
side. Another  name  sometimes  given  to  China  by  the 
Chinese  is  “ Heaven,”  from  which  the  people  are  sometimes 
called  “ Celestials.”  The  empire  is  divided  into  three  princi- 
pal parts,  of  which  that  commonly  known  to  other  nations  as 
China  is  called  the  Eighteen  Provinces.  It  is  the  only  part 
entirely  settled  by  the  Chinese.  Its  scenery  is  beautiful,  its 
soil  fertile,  its  climate  salubrious,  its  rivers  magnificent  and 
navigable,  and  its  productions  various  and  abundant.  The 
Chinese  are  largely  engaged  in  agriculture,  and  although  they 
are  ignorant  of  many  of  the  operations  of  fertilizing  and  have 
few  and  simple  implements,  they  make  up  for  these  disad- 
vantages by  their  indefatigable  industry.  This  and  the  favor- 
able conditions  of  soil,  climate,  and  irrigation  have  rendered 
the  country  so  productive  that  it  has  always  supplied  all  the 
wants  of  its  people  and  been  quite  independent  of  foreign 
nations. 

The  Chinese  are  conservative  and  proud  of  their  country 
and  customs.  They  claim  the  oldest  authentic  and  continuous 
history  of  any  people  on  earth,  running  back  to  2,852  years  be- 
fore Christ,  or  only  363  years  after  the  Deluge.  The  popula- 
tion of  the  empire  is  generally  estimated  at  400,000,000,  all  of 
whom  read  the  same  language ; but  the  spoken  dialects  are 


4 


very  numerous,  especially  in  the  south.  The  Chinese  have 
more  \irtues  than  most  pagan  nations.  They  have  never 
offered  human  sacrifices,  nor  deified  vice.  The  govern- 
ment of  China  is  the  most  purely  patriarchal  of  those  now 
existing  on  the  earth.  All  the  land  belongs  nominally  to  the 
emperor,  and  he  is  the  father  of  the  people.  Every  officer  is 
strictly  responsible  for  the  good  order  and  welfare  of  the  terri- 


CHINESE  MANDARINS. 

tory  committed  to  his  care,  as  every  father  is  held  responsible 
for  the  good  conduct  of  every  other  member  of  the  family. 
This  principle  secures  a system  of  accountability  so  perfect 
that  it  is  difficult  for  a criminal  to  escape  detection  and  pun- 
ishment, and  disorder  in  any  part  of  the  empire  is  impossible 
except  by  the  connivance  of  both  officials  and  people. 

There  is  no  caste  in  China.  There  is  a system  of  sla\  ery, 
but  it  is  not  so  degrading  as  in  other  countries.  It  is  not 
allowable  to  separate  married  slaves,  nor  to  sell  their  children 


5 


when  very  young.  Girls  are  more  readily  sold  than  boys.  The 
Chinese  have  a great  admiration  for  learning ; and  education 
of  a certain  kind  is  very  general.  The  offices  of  government 
are  open  only  to  those  who  have  passed  literary  examinations, 
and  the  literary  class  is  the  most  influential  in  the  country. 
It  is  from  this  class  that  the  chief  opposition  to  Christianity 
comes,  in  accordance  with  the  words  of  Christ,  “ Not  many 
wise,  not  many  noble,  are  called.”  As  far  as  all  human  stand- 
ards can  measure,  the  Chinese  are  so  far  above  any  other 
heathen  nation  in  importance  that  their  conversion  is  beyond 
all  comparison  the  greatest  work  before  the  Church  of  Christ. 
When  China  is  converted  one  half  of  the  heathen  world  will 
have  been  conquered  for  Christianity. 

In  China,  as  in  all  heathen  countries,  woman  occupies  an 
inferior  position,  yet  literary  attainments  are  considered  cred- 
itable to  a woman.  Neither  Confucius  nor  Buddha  assigns  to 
the  wife  a position  of  honor.  According  to  the  latter  she  is 
in  all  respects  inferior  to  her  husband,  and  can  only  wish  that 
on  her  re-entry  into  life,  in  the  next  state  of  existence,  she 
may  be  born  as  a man.  According  to  Confucius,  she  has 
duties,  but  no  rights.  The  three  great  duties  which,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  principles  of  the  Chinese  philosopher,  were  im- 
pressed on  every  woman,  from  her  youth  up,  were,  obedience 
to  her  parents,  her  husband,  and  to  her  oldest  son.  The  hus- 
band has  full  rights  over  the  person  and  property  of  his  wife. 
The  sorrows  of  married  life  in  China  are  so  great  that  girls 
often  commit  suicide  just  before  the  wedding.  These  sorrows 
result  not  from  the  character  of  the  people,  but  from  the 
superstitions  and  practices  of  heathenism,  and  can  be  removed 
alone  by  the  light  of  the  gospel.  There  is  little  intermingling 
of  men  and  women  in  social  life,  therefore  the  labors  of 
female  missionaries  are  likely  to  be  the  principal  means  of 
reaching  their  sex  for  a long  time  to  come. 

RELIGIONS. 

There  is  no  generic  term  for  religion  in  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage, but  there  are  three  nominal  religions  in  the  country, 
Confucianism,  Taoism,  and  Buddhism.  These  three  forms  do 
not  interfere  with  each  other,  as  a Confucianist  may  worship 


6 


in  a Buddhist  temple  and  hold  Taoist  beliefs,  without  any  im- 
peachment of  his  sincerity,  and  no  one  cares  enough  for  his 
peculiar  views  to  fight  for  them.  In  a certain  sense  it  may  be 
said  that  China  has  no  religion,  as  Confucianism  is  a moral 
philosophy.  Buddhism  is  atheism,  and  Taoism  is  agnosticism. 
That  which  has  the  strongest  hold  on  the  hearts  of  the  people 
is  the  worship  of  ancestors  and  of  the  spirits  of  earth,  air,  and 
water.  This  is  universal. 

Nestorians  visited  China  in  505,  and  formed  churches  in 
several  cities.  The  Roman  Catholics  began  work  there  in 
1288,  and  had  considerable  success.  The  arrogance  of  the 
priesthood  and  their  interference  with  the  politics  of  the 
country  led  to  an  edict  of  expulsion  against  Christians  in 
1767,  and  it  continued  until  1858,  when  toleration  was  pro- 
claimed. The  first  Protestant  missionary  to  China  was  Robert 
Morrison,  who  arrived  in  Canton  in  September,  1807,  and  be- 
came official  translator  to  the  East  India  Company,  under 
whose  auspices  he  prepared  his  dictionary,  and  translated  the 
Bible  into  Chinese. 


BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

The  work  of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  among 
the  Chinese  is  divided  into  six  departments  : the  Mission  in 
Siam,  the  South  China  Mission,  the  Hakka  Mission,  the  East 
China  Mission,  the  West  China  Mission,  and  the  Central 
China  Mission. 


THE  MISSION  IN  SIAM. 

The  beginning  of  American  Baptist  missions  to  the  Chinese 
was  in  Bangkok,  Siam.  In  1831  Rev.  John  Taylor  Jones  ar- 
rived in  Burma  for  missionary  work,  but  after  consultation  with 
the  brethren  it  was  decided  that  he  should  open  a mission  in 
Siam.  He  arrived  in  Bangkok  March  25,  1833,  and  at  once 
began  labors  for  the  Siamese.  Dr.  Jones  was  a man  of  great 
earnestness  and  linguistic  ability.  He  translated  the  New 
Testament  into  the  Siamese  language  and  created  a large 
Christian  literature.  He  also  acquired  great  influence  with 
the  higher  officials,  and  even  with  the  Emperor  of  Siam,  and 


STKEKT  SCENE  IN  CHINA. 


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was  greatly  respected  by  all.  Although  his  labors  were  in  the 
Siamese  language,  the  first  converts  to  be  baptized  were  three 
Chinese,  who  received  the  ordinance  Dec.  8,  1833.  From  the 
first  the  work  among  the  Chinese  in  Siam  was  more  prom- 
ising than  that  for  the  Siamese,  and  special  work  for  the  latter 
was  suspended  in  1869.  The  work  among  the  Chinese  con- 
tinued to  prosper.  In  1851  a great  disaster  befell  the  mission 
in  the  destruction  of  all  the  missionary  buildings  by  fire,  in- 
volving a loss  of  nearly  fifteen  thousand  dollars ; but  they 
were  soon  rebuilt,  and  the  property  of  the  Missionary  Union 
in  Bangkok  has  greatly  increased  in  value.  In  1869  forty-five 
were  baptized,  a larger  number  than  was  received  in  all  the 
years  previous.  In  1874  the  baptisms  amounted  to  one  hun- 
dred and  forty,  and  the  work  went  on  until  at  one  time  as 
many  as  five  hundred  converts  were  reported  in  the  mission. 
Missionary  work  among  the  Chinese  in  Siam  has,  however, 
always  been  of  an  uncertain  character.  The  Chinese  are  in 
that  country  for  the  purposes  of  trade  and  gain,  and  although 
many  converts  were  received  into  the  churches,  a large  number 
of  them  returned  to  their  homes  in  China.  At  the  present 
time  the  visible  results  of  the  work  are  small.  Siam  has  always 
been  open  to  missionary  work ; the  missionaries  have  been 
entirely  unrestricted  in  their  labors  since  1851  ; the  Chinese 
are  numerous,  but  owing  to  the  shifting  character  of  the  people 
the  success  has  not  been  in  proportion  to  the  labor  expended, 
and  the  question  of  removing  the  mission  bodily  to  China 
proper  has  often  been  agitated. 

Three  names  are  closely  linked  with  the  earliest  history  of 
American  Baptist  missions  to  the  Chinese,  — William  Dean, 
Josiah  Goddard,  and  William  Ashmore.  All  began  their  labors 
in  Bangkok,  and  each  became  in  a very  special  manner  the 
founder  of  departments  of  Chinese  mission  work  as  they  exist 
to-day.  Rev.  William  Dean  reached  Bangkok  in  1835,  and 
removed  to  Hongkong  in  1842.  He  resided  for  a time  in 
Macao  in  1846,  returned  to  Bangkok  in  1855,  and  until  within 
a few  years  has  been  the  chief  factor  in  parrying  on  mission 
work  in  Siam.  Rev.  Josiah  Goddard  reached  Bangkok  in 
1840,  but  removed  to  Ningpo,  China,  in  March,  1848,  and 
became  the  founder  of  the  evangelistic  work  in  the  East  China 
IMission.  Rev.  William  Ashmore,  going  to  Siam  in  1849,  re- 


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moved  to  Hongkong  m 1857.  In  January,  1864,  he  purchased 
and  occupied  the  present  headquarters  of  the  mission  at  Kak- 
chieh,  opposite  the  city  of  Swatow,  and  thus  established  the 
South  China  Mission  in  its  present  location.  The  relations 
between  the  Chinese  mission  in  Siam  and  the  South  China 
Mission  have  always  been  intimate,  and  there  have  been  inter- 
changes of  missionaries  and  frequent  removals  of  native  con- 
verts and  laborers  from  one  field  to  the  other.  Miss  Adele 
M.  Fielde,  reaching  Bangkok  in  1855,  after  four  years  of  labor 
there  and  a stay  in  America,  became  the  organizer  of  the 
woman’s  work  for  woman  of  the  South  China  Mission.  Rev. 
Sylvester  B.  Partridge  and  wife,  arriving  in  Bangkok  in  1869, 
removed  to  Swatow  in  1872.  Thus  the  Chinese  mission  in 
Siam,  while  not  largely  successful  in  itself,  has  been  a field  of 
preparation  for  the  work  in  China  proper,  and  has  contributed 
much  to  the  early  foundations  of  Baptist  missions  in  the  great 
Chinese  empire. 

THE  SOUTH  CHINA  MISSION. 

The  war  of  1841  between  the  British  and  the  Chinese  is 
commonly  known  as  the  Opium  War.  It  resulted  in  forcing 
British  opium  on  the  reluctant  Chinese,  but  this  evil  was  in 
part  counterbalanced  by  the  opening  of  the  Chinese  empire 
to  Christian  missionary  work.  By  the  treaty  of  August,  1842, 
Hongkong  was  ceded  to  the  British,  and  five  ports,  — Canton, 
Amoy,  Fuchau,  Ningpo,  and  Shanghai,  — were  opened  to  British 
trade.  Rev.  William  Dean  hastened^  to  take  advantage  of  this 
opportunity,  and  before  the  close  of  that  year  had  begun  mis- 
sionary work  in  Hongkong.  In  1846  he  resided  for  a time  in 
Macao.  In  1847  Rev.  J.  W.  Johnson  reached  Hongkong. 
The  missionary  work  was  carried  on  with  considerable  success 
in  that  city  for  some  years.  Swatow  was  opened  as  a port  for 
foreign  commerce  in  1857,  the  same  year  that  Rev.  William 
Ashmore  and  wife  reached  Hongkong.  After  laboring  in  that 
city  Mr.  Ashmore  visited  America,  but  returned  to  China  in 
1863  in  a vessel  by  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The 
voyage  was  one  full  of  alarms,  there  being  constant  fear  of 
capture  by  Confederate  cruisers  ; but  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ashmore 
safely  reached  Double  Island  at  the  mouth  of  Swatow  Harbor, 


lO 


in  July,  1863,  to  which  place  he  had  been  preceded  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Johnson,  who  arrived  in  June,  i860.  The  city  of 
Swatow  is  situated  on  the  mainland.  The  site  is  low  and  flat 
and  not  healthful ; for  this  reason  the  headquarters  of  the 
mission  were  established  at  Kakchieh  on  the  southern  shore 
of  the  bay,  a mile  across  the  water  from  Swatow.  In  January, 
1864,  Mr.  Ashmore  bought  property  at  Kakchieh  for  $800. 
The  site  was  at  that  time  rocky,  rough,  and  sterile,  but  with 


DR.  ASHMORE’S  HOUSE. 

care  and  cultivation  it  has  become  undoubtedly  the  most 
beautiful  and  convenient  headquarters  to  be  found  in  our 
missions,  and  the  value  has  advanced  from  the  small  price 
paid  for  it  in  1864  to  many  thousands  of  dollars. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  mission  at  Swatow  work 
went  on  with  encouraging  success.  The  first  Baptist  con- 
vert in  China  had  been  baptized  at  the  Portuguese  city  of 
Macao  on  Jan.  31,  1837,  by  Rev.  J.  L Shuck,  who  had  reached 
that  place  the  previous  year,  thus  founding  the  first  Baptist 
mission  in  the  Chinese  empire.  Quite  a church  had  been 


gathered  in  Hongkong,  but  after  the  opening  of  the  head- 
quarters at  Swatow  that  place  was  abandoned  as  a residence 
for  missionaries  and  was  considered  to  be  an  out-station  of  the 
Swatow  mission.  In  November,  1865,  sixty-two  communi- 
cants were  reported  in  the  church  at  Swatow,  and  in  1867  two 
of  the  converts  were  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry.  Thirty- 
five  were  baptized  in  1870.  In  1872  Rev.  S.  B.  Partridge  and 


HIBI.E  WOME.X  AT  SWATOW. 

wife  removed  from  Bangkok  to  Swatow  and  continued  to 
labor  in  association  with  Dr.  Ashmore,  the  field  being  divided 
between  them.  Dr.  Ashmore  taking  the  country  districts  more 
to  the  southwest,  and  Dr.  Partridge,  those  to  the  north,  where 
he  has  at  times  resided  large  portions  of  the  year.  Miss  Adele 
M.  Fielde,  after  a sojourn  in  America,  reached  Swatow  in  1873 
and  organized  the  work  for  tire  women  in  a manner  which  has 
become  the  admiration  of  those  interested  in  woman’s  mission- 
ary work  for  woman  in  heathen  lands.  Dr.  Ashmore’s  son. 


12 


Rev.  William  Ashmore,  Jr.,  joined  the  mission  in  1880  and  has 
done  excellent  work  in  preparing  scripture  versions  in  the 
colloquial  dialect  and  in  evangelistic  labor.  In  1882  Rev. 
J.  W.  Carlin,  D.  D.,  opened  a new  station  at  Ungkung  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Swatow  field.  Medical  work  carried  on 
by  ladies  has  formed  an  important  feature  in  the  mission. 

The  mission  at  Swatow  has  been  acknowledged  by  many  to 
be  the  best  organized  mission  in  China.  It  has  been  con- 
ducted from  the  first  on  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  New 
Testament.  Self-support  and  self-dependence  in  the  native 
Christians  have  been  carefully  studied.  The  accounts  of  the 
work  among  the  native  churches  frequently  remind  one  of  the 
narrative  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  In  all  the  little  branch 
churches  elders  are  appointed  who  keep  up  the  services  in  the 
absence  of  a missionary  or  of  the  native  preacher.  Every  little 
group  of  Christians  is  taught  self-help  and  self-reliance. 
Their  services,  their  worship,  and  their  work  go  on  without  the 
constant  presence  and  stimulus  of  the  missionary.  From  the 
first  they  have  been  subjected  to  frequent  persecution,  but 
have  been  taught  to  rely  not  upon  the  political  power  and 
influence  of  the  missionaries,  but  to  depend  upon  the  Lord 
and  seek  to  obtain  justice  from  their  own  officials.  A class 
for  Bible  study  has  been  regularly  maintained  at  Swatow,  the 
headquarters  of  the  mission,  not  only  for  students  preparing 
for  the  ministry  or  for  Christian  work,  but  leading  members  of 
the  native  churches  have  been  encouraged  to  come  to  Swatow 
as  they  might  be  able  for  short  periods  of  Bible  study.  In 
this  way  the  Christians  have  been  trained  in  efficiency  in  work 
and  stability  in  faith.  In  recent  years  a system  of  Bible  study 
at  central  points  throughout  the  country  districts  has  been  in- 
augurated by  Rev.  John  M.  Foster,  in  order  to  reach  and  teach 
members  of  the  churches  who  are  notable  to  leave  their  homes 
for  a period  of  study  at  Swatow.  A larger  number  of  converts 
has  been  gained  in  the  Swatow  mission  than  in  other  fields 
in  China  and  the  work  from  the  first  has  been  of  a singularly 
stable  and  gratifying  character.  The  ground  which  has  been 
gained  has  been  held,  and  as  would  appear  from  the  thor- 
oughly scriptural  methods  which  have  obtained  in  the  mission, 
there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  foundations  have  been 
laid  for  a large,  aggressive,  and  substantial  j)rogress  for  the 


PRKACHERS  AND  STUDENTS  AT  SWATOW. 


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future.  In  December,  1891,  the  total  number  baptized  since 
the  beginning  of  the  mission  was  1,578.  The  total  number  of 
converts  now  reported  is  upwards  of 
1,000.  Considering  the  number 
of  deaths  which  have  occurred 
this  shows  that  the  number  of 
those  who  have  fallen  away 
after  professing  faith  in 
Christ  has  been  remark- 
ably small.  Considera- 
ble work  has  been  done 
by  various  members 
of  the  mission 
in  translating 
portions  of  the 
Scripture  into 
the  colloquial 
Swatow  dialect, 
of  which  Miss 

Fielde  has  published  a dictionary.  The  mission  is  thoroughly 
furnished  with  facilities  for  future  work,  and  its  progress  may 
be  expected  to  be  stable,  steady,  and  satisfactory  in  the  future 
as  in  the  past. 


IN  THE  SWATOW  COMPOUND. 


THE  HAKKA  MISSION. 


This  is  an  offshoot  from  the  Swatow  Mission,  and  is  more 
properly  considered  in  immediate  connection  with  it.  In 
1875,  Rev.  W.  K.  McKibben  arrived  at  Swatow  for  work  in  the 
mission,  but  soon  became  interested  in  attempts  to  reach  out 
toward  the  people  farther  in  the  interior.  In  1879  he  at- 
tempted to  purchase  property  in  Hu  city,  of  which  the  proper 
name  is  Chau-Chau-fu,  but  the  people  rose  to  expel  the  for- 
eign invasion,  and  drove  him  out  of  the  city  at  the  peril  of  his 
life.  In  the  extension  of  work  from  Swatow  among  the  low- 
land people,  or  Tiechiu,  by  which  name  the  population  of  that 
district  is  known,  some  converts  had  been  gained  from  among 
the  Hakkas,  or  highland  people,  who  spoke  a different  dialect, 
but  many  of  whom  living  on  the  borders  between  the  two  dia- 
lects, understand  both.  In  1881,  Mr.  McKibben  decided  to 
devote  himself  wholly  to  work  among  the  Hakka  people,  and 


IIOSIMLM.  AT  SWATOW 


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in  1883  an  out-station  of  the  Swatow  Mission,  which  had  been 
opened  at  Munkeuliang  among  the  Hakkas,  was  turned  over  to 
him  as  a headquarters  for  the  extension  of  work  for  the  Hakkas. 
After  a few  years  of  labor  Mr.  McKibben  was  compelled  to 
return  to  America,  but  in  1887  Rev.  George  Campbell  was 
sent  out  specially  for  v/ork  among  this  people.  He  travelled 
extensively  in  the  interior  among  the  people  on  the  borders  of 
three  provinces.  Great  difficulty  was  found  in  obtaining  a 
location.  Attempts  were  made  to  rent  or  purchase  houses  in 
various  cities,  but  were  repeatedly  frustrated  by  the  hostility 
of  the  people,  and  the  timidity  of  the  landlords.  At  last 
property  was  secured  in  the  important  city  of  Kayin,  which  is 
now  the  chief  headquarters  for  work  among  the  Hakka  people. 
Mr.  Campbell  was  joined,  in  1890,  by  his  sister.  Miss  Elia 
Campbell,  and  later  by  Rev.  George  E.  Whitman  and  wife. 
Miss  M.  L.  Ostrom,  and  Edward  Bailey,  M.  D.,  and  wife.  Dr. 
Bailey  resigned  a position  as  surgeon  in  the  United  States 
Army  to  become  a medical  missionary.  He  rendered  most 
efficient  service  in  fighting  the  Black  Plague  in  Hongkong,  in 
1894,  and  the  opening  of  his  medical  work  among  the  Hakkas 
has  been  attended  with  great  success.  It  furnishes  a most 
effective  way  of  winning  the  confidence  and  the  attention  of 
the  people  for  missionary  work. 


THE  EAST  CHINA  MISSION. 

Baptist  Mission  work  at  Ningpo,  China,  was  begun  by  D.  T» 
Macgowan,  M.  D.  A hospital  was  open  for  three  months  in 
1843,  but  was  closed  and  not  re-opened  until  April,  1845. 
Dr.  Macgowan  visited  Calcutta  in  1844,  and  with  funds  con- 
tributed there  he  established  a hospital  in  Ningpo.  The  first 
year  he  prescribed  for  more  than  two  thousand  patients.  The 
evangelistic  work  in  Eastern  China  was  opened  by  the  removal 
of  Rev.  Josiah  Goddard  from  Bangkok  to  Ningpo,  where  he 
arrived  in  March,  1848.  Mr.  Goddard  was  a man  of  intense 
earnestness  and  industry,  and  of  great  intellectual  ability.  He 
completed  the  translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  Chinese, 
in  1853,  in  a version  which  is  still  in  use.  In  his  missionary 
work  he  enjoyed  the  association  and  assistance  of  other  able 
laborers.  Rev.  E.  C.  Lord,  having  sailed  for  Ningpo,  in  1847, 


BRIDGE  AT  KONGKEO  NEAR  NINGI'f) 


20 


was  engaged  for  many  years  in  the  missionary  work.  During 
a long  period  he  served  as  United  States  Consul,  but  still 
continued  his  labors  as  a missionary  while  not  receiving  a 
salary  from  the  Society.  The  first  convert  in  Ningpo  was  bap-’ 
tized  in  May,  1849,  and  the  work  continued  with  encouraging 
results. 

The  East  China  mission  has  been  specially  distinguished  by 
the  variety  of  the  efforts  which  have  been  made  to  reach  the 
people.  Medical  work,  which  has  already  been  referred  to, 
while  interrupted  for  a few  years,  has  been  continued  at 
Ningpo,  Dr.  S.  P.  Barchet  succeeding  Dr.  Macgowan,  and 
carrying  on  the  hospital  from  1875.  He  was  joined  in  this 
work  by  Dr.  J.  S.  Grant  in  1889.  Schools  were  also  established 
in  Ningpo  which  have  been  carried  on  continuously  and  effi- 
ciently. The  villages  and  towns  in  the  populous  districts 
around  Ningpo  have  been  reached  by  persistent  gospel  work. 
A Biblical  class  for  the  training  of  native  preachers  was  con- 
ducted for  years  by  Dr.  Lord,  and  was  finally  established  at 
Shaohing.  It  is  now  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Horace  Jenkins, 
who  joined  the  mission  in  March,  1859.  An  eminent  laborer 
in  the  East  China  Mission  was  Rev.  M.  J.  Knowlton,  D.  D., 
who  arrived  at  Ningpo  in  June,  1854.  Dr.  Knowlton  presented 
an  unusual  combination  of  evangelistic  earnestness  and  schol- 
arly ability.  He  was  humble  and  gentle  in  his  intercourse 
with  the  people  and  gained  their  love  by  his  treatment  of 
them  and  by  his  eminent  abilities.  He  was  called  the  “ West- 
ern Confucius,”  a high  compliment  both  to  his  moral  and 
intellectual  qualities.  In  1868  the  mission  was  reinforced  by 
Rev.  J.  R.  Goddard,  the  son  of  Josiah  Goddard  the  founder 
of  evangelistic  work  in  the  mission.  Mr.  Goddard  has  been  a 
pillar  of  strength  in  the  mission  at  Ningpo,  which  many  times 
has  rested  with  almost  its  entire  weight  upon  his  single  efforts. 
The  mission  has  extended  over  a wide  territory.  An  out- 
station  was  opened  at  Kinhwa  in  1861,  which  was  afterward 
removed  to  Shaohing.  This  was  opened  as  a station  in  1869, 
but  the  work  at  Kinhwa  was  resumed  and  a station  was  estab- 
lished there  in  1883.  For  many  years  attempts  had  been 
made  by  missionaries  of  various  societies  to  effect  an  entrance 
in  the  great  and  populous  city  of  Huchau,  but  all  had  been 
defeated  by  the  hostility  of  the  people.  The  literary  class  in 


21 


Huchau  is  very  strong  and  rules  the  city.  Their  opposition 
succeeded  in  defeating  every  effort  to  establish  missionary 
work  in  the  city  until  in  1886,  Rev.  George  L.  Mason,  leaving 
his  family  at  Shaohing,  and  assuming  the  Chinese  dress,  with 
one  native  helper  quietly  effected  an  entrance  into  the  hostile 
city  and  established  a station  there.  The  work  was  carried  on 
so  quietly  that  for  a time  it  escaped  the  enmity  of  the  people, 
but  in  1893  a mob  was  raised  and  an  effort  made  to  dislodge 
the  missionaries.  The  purpose  of  the  mob  was  defeated  in 
answer  to  prayer,  and  the  work  in  this  great  and  prosperous 
city  continues. 

The  people  in  eastern  China  have  been  apparently  less  im- 
pressible than  those  of  the  South.  Not  so  large  a number  of 
converts  are  reported,  but  the  outlook  is  constantly  brighten- 
ing. Foundations  have  been  laid  for  future  work  with  a good 
promise  of  success. 


THE  WEST  CHINA  MISSION. 

Rev.  William  M.  Upcraft  had  labored  in  China  for  several 
years  as  an  agent  of  the  Bible  Society,  and  had  travelled  ex- 
tensively through  central  China  with  the  Word  of  God.  Here 
he  encountered  many  dangers,  and  on  one  occasion  had  been 
stoned  and  left  without  the  city  for  dead,  as  was  the  apostle 
Paul  at  Lystra ; but  like  the  apostle  he  was  raised  up  and  went 
on  his  way.  His  health,  however,  suffered  so  severely  that  he 
was  compelled  to  take  a furlough  and  visited  the  United 
States.  The  young  people  of  the  State  of  Minnesota  became 
especially  interested  in  him,  and  organized  themselves  to  sup- 
port Mr.  George  Warner  and  himself  in  establishing  a new 
mission  in  western  China,  under  the  auspices  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union.  Messrs.  Upcraft  and  Warner  sailed 
in  1889,  and  after  a long  and  tedious  journey  up  the  Yangtze 
River  a station  was  opened  at  Suichaufu,  commonly  known 
among  its  own  people  by  the  abbreviated  name  of  Suifu,  This 
city  is  situated  in  the  immense  and  flourishing  province  of 
Szchuan,  on  the  western  tier  of  the  provinces  of  China  Proper. 
The  people  are  independent,  intelligent,  and  enterprising,  and 
are  less  affected  by  the  corruptions  which  come  from  contact 


22 


with  foreign  commerce  than  in  the  cities  of  the  coast.  They 
have  shown  much  readiness  to  listen  to  the  gospel.  The  West 
China  Mission  has  been  largely  reinforced.  Medical  work  was 
opened  by  Rev.  C.  H.  Finch,  M.  D.,  who  went  out  in  1891. 
A new  station  has  been  opened  at  Kiating,  and  others  are 
projected.  The  number  of  missionaries  connected  with  the 
^\'est  China  Mission  is  twenty-two.  Broad  foundations  have 
been  laid  for  the  establishment  of  an  extensive  work  in  China, 
reaching  over  toward  the  borders  of  Tibet.  A small  church 
has  been  gathered  at  Suichaufu.  The  remote  character  of  the 
field  and  its  great  need  of  Christian  missionary  labors  lend  a 
romantic  and  unusual  interest  to  the  work  of  the  West  China 
Mission,  especially  since  this  is  the  nearest  approach  of  Amer- 
ican Baptists  to  reaching  the  people  of  that  hitherto  unevan- 
gelized country,  Tibet. 


THE  CENTRAL  CHINA  MISSION. 

In  1893  a station  was  opened  at  Hankow,  at  the  head  of 
ocean  navigation  on  the  Yangtze  river.  The  object  of  the 
establishment  of  this  mission  is  twofold.  First,  to  furnish  a 
link  in  the  chain  of  communication  between  the  missions  on 
the  coast  and  the  missionaries  in  West  China ; and,  second, 
to  have  some  share  in  responding  to  the  immense  needs  of  the 
great  and  populous  provinces  of  Hupeh  and  Hunan  in  Cen- 
tral China.  The  missionaries  who  began  this  work  were 
Rev.  Joseph  S.  Adams  and  wife,  who  have  for  several  years 
labored  usefully  at  Kinhwa,  and  Rev.  W.  F.  Gray  and  wife,  of 
Iowa.  They  have  more  recently  been  joined  by  Miss  Lydia 
J.  Wyckoff,  M.  D.,  for  medical  work.  The  three  adjoining 
cities  of  Hankow,  Hanyang,  and  Wuchang  form  the  greatest 
centre  of  population  in  China,  having  together  between  one 
and  two  million  people.  It  is  expected  that  the  permanent 
station  of  the  mission  will  be  established  at  Hanyang,  a city 
on  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  where  less  missionary  work  has 
been  done  than  at  the  other  places,  and  which  offers  an 
equally  favorable  access  to  the  people  of  the  interior.  This 
infant  enterprise  of  American  Baptists  in  the  very  centre  of 
China  will  deeply  engage  our  interest  and  our  prayers. 


MEN  OF  WESTEKN  CHINA 


24 


SOUTHERN  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck  and  wife,  who  reached  Bangkok,  July  i, 
1836,  and  removed  to  Macao,  which  was  held  by  the  Portu- 
guese, in  September  of  the  same  year,  were  settled  at  Hong- 
kong in  1842.  April  3,  1844,  he  removed  to  Canton,  and 
began  work  in  that  great  city,  and  afterwards  associated  with 
him  Rev.  I.  J.  Roberts,  who  had  joined  the  Mission  in  1841. 
After  the  withdrawal  of  the  Southern  Baptists  from  the  General 
Convention  in  1845,  the  Canton  Mission  was  carried  on  un- 
der the  auspices  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  and  the 
work  has  been  one  of  prosperity  and  blessing.  The  Missions 
of  the  Southern  Baptists  have  been  extended,  and  are  now 
carried  on  not  only  in  Canton  and  vicinity,  but  in  Shanghai 
and  other  cities  in  that  part  of  China,  and  also  in  North 
China  at  several  stations  in  the  vicinity  of  Chifu. 


ENGLISH  BAPTIST  MISSIONS. 

The  English  Baptists  were  early  interested  in  the  mission 
at  Ningpo,  but  their  later  and  principal  efforts  have  been  in 
the  provinces  of  Shantung  and  Shansi,  where  the  work  has 
been  carried  on  with  great  success.  In  Shantung  there  are 
fourteen  stations  and  a large  number  of  churches  and  converts. 
The  mission  in  Shansi  has  been  established  amid  great  diffi- 
culties, yet  five  stations  have  been  opened.  The  people  are 
independent  and  vigorous  and  have  been  noted  for  their  hos- 
tility to  foreigners,  but  the  mission  is  advancing  with  much 
blessing. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  progress  of  missions  among  the  Chinese  can  hardly  be 
marked  by  statistics,  since  the  peculiar  clannish  character  of 
the  Chinese  prevents  them  from  detaching  themselves  per- 
sonally from  their  family  and  social  life.  The  real  progress 
of  Christian  work  among  them  rather  consists  of  the  impres- 
sion which  Christianity  is  making  upon  the  Chinese  people  as 
a whole.  They  are  one  immense  family,  with  all  the  advan- 
tages as  well  as  the  obstacles  implied  in  that  closely-knit  but 


YANGTZE  RIVER  AT  HANYANG. 


26 


divinely-ordained  relation.  The  gathering  of  converts  from 
among  the  Chinese  is  made  difficult  by  their  family  and 
national  pride,  by  their  local  bonds,  and  by  the  clan  relations 
into  which  every  Chinese  is  drawn.  Secret  societies  flourish 
among  them  to  an  extent  hardly  paralleled  even  in  America. 
The  missionary  of  the  Cross  contends  against  a complicated 
network  of  ties  when  he  attempts  to  win  a Chinese  to  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  Gospel,  and  the  progress  of  the  missions  has  not 
been  as  rapid  as  in  many  other  lands.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
stability  of  the  Chinese  convert  is  assured  by  the  persecution 
which  he  must  brave  on  becoming  a Christian,  and  his  courage 
is  peculiarly  strengthened  by  the  progress  of  the  work. 
Every  convert  adds  to  the  number  of  chains  which  are  drawing 
the  Chinese  nation  toward  Christ.  Every  external  impulse, 
political,  military,  social,  or  religious,  which  operates  upon 
China,  opens  the  country  to  the  Gospel  in  a way  impossible  in 
other  lands,  and  all  the  influences  are  helping  to  bring  the 
day  when  China  with  its  multitudinous  and  closely  cemented 
mass  of  people  shall  move  in  a body  toward  the  Savior  of  the 
world,  and  the  words  of  prophecy  shall  be  fulfilled,  “ A 
nation  shall  be  born  in  a day.” 


STATISTICS,  DEC.  31,  1893. 


Stations. 

When  opened. 

Missionaries. 

Ordained  native 

1 preachers. 

Unordained 

1 native  preachers. 

Native  helpers. 

Churches. 

Baptized,  1893. 

Members. 

Schools. 

Pupils. 

Contributions, 

1893. 

Bangkok, Siam, 

1833 

I 

. 

I 

I 

I 

2 

13 

- 

- 

- 

Ningpo,  China, 

1843 

10 

3 

14 

7 

6 

20 

288 

13 

226 

$80  95 

Swatow .... 

1846 

13 

3 

12 

IS 

I 

48 

1,01 1 

9 

1 1 1 

283  23 

Shaohing  . . 

1869 

6 

I 

3 

I 

I 

3 

18 

1 

8 

0 

0 

Munkeuliang, 

1882 

I 

- 

I 

- 

2 

5 

43 

- 

- 

3 00 

Kinhwa  . . . 

00 

00 

8 

- 

2 

2 

6 

- 

117 

1 

1 I 

13  10 

Huchau  . . . 

1886 

4 

- 

3 

I 

2 

6 

40 

- 

- 

7 50 

Suichaufu  . . 

1889 

22 

- 

2 

I 

I 

- 

9 

- 

- 

26  50 

Kayin  .... 

1890 

8 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Ungkung . . . 

1892 

2 

- 

5 

2 

- 

4 

14 

- 

- 

18  00 

Hankow  . . . 

1893 

5 

Totals  .... 

80 

7 

43 

30 

20 

88 

1.553 

24 

356 

$437  28 

